Keep Calm and Give Thanks

Give thanks to the Lord for He is good! His love endures forever. |1 Chronicles 16:34|

2015 is about to end in 7 weeks! Wow, how time flies, no? Have you taken the time to look back on how your year went? How about the things, people, or events you’re grateful for? Honestly, I haven’t because somehow it scared me, until I attended Pursuit Manila’s year-ender gathering…

Earlier, I woke up and left our home at 9am to attend the said gathering. Grabe ang bilis ng panahon! I can still remember the day I sent Rhiza an email so I can join the community’s then upcoming gathering and now here I am sharing with you the things I am most grateful for this year which was our final activity for 2015.

For the said activity, we were handed a sheet of paper to write down the top 10 things we are most grateful for this year. It was a fun activity, and a meaningful one, too. I’m writing it down here because I was only able to share this list to my sisters-in-Christ during the said event. Today I am putting it up here so that I can also share it to each and every one on my list (in case you’re reading my blog), for you to know that I feel blessed and grateful this 2015 because of your presence in my life. I may not write down all the names (cause seriously this post space will not be enough if I do), but I trust that when you get to read this, you’ll know you’re a part of this. 😉

To you Lord, for your presence in my life from the very beginning up until this very moment. I can never thank you enough for all the love, the guidance, the blessings, the understanding, the never-ending patience and pag-tatapik just to get me back on track. You have never once abandoned me, even when I’m at my worst self. In my darkest times, You have never failed to equip me with what I need to get through — to learn, to carry on and to understand. Whenever I am down and forgetful, You never fail to send someone in an instant to remind me of how special I am, that You are there and of Your untiring love. Lord, I love you. I love you. I love you! Please don’t ever get tired of me in all the remaining days of my life. Keep me grounded, guarded and never let go of my hand.

Home… and home for me means my family. Mom (wherever you are), J, F, L and my 3Ps who have loved me unconditionally, for being my number one fan in every thing I do, for believing in me when I don’t, for being the source of my strength, my inspiration and my laughter and for the unlimited hugs and kisses I’m showered each day. My in-laws, papa, mama, cousins, for loving and accepting me for who and what I am, for teaching me what I don’t know and for all the support… especially to my sister-in-law Hon and brothers-in-law Kel and Vin, for always being there for me and for being my super friends. Life is sweeter because of our crazy antics together! I am truly blessed to be a part of your family. I don’t know what I’ll ever do without you all in my life. My heart beats for you.

Pursuit Manila Community. All my sisters-in-Christ, most especially to Rhiza and the core team, thank you! I know I tell you this over and over but I will never get tired of telling you this, Thank you, I love you! Thank you for bringing me so much closer to God, for the inspiration, the motivation, the prayers and the reminders you send my way. I have been blessed in so many ways because of this wonderful community and my heart just bursts with so much joy just thinking about you all.

My coach, Martine de Luna and the whole Make it Blissful community. For being not just my coach, but my friend. My site wouldn’t be as successful as it is now if not for you. Thank you for breathing life into my blog, for helping me bring out Peachy. For inspiring me in more ways than one, for the push that my procrastinating self needed, for opening up wonderful things for me, for all the support, the laughter, the tears and friendship shared with me through the wonderful community… I will forever be indebted and grateful for your presence in my life. I love you coach, I love you, Marts. I love you MiB! No matter how tough life gets, I will always do my best to #MakeitBlissful.

My coach Ginger Palma-Arboleda, Manila Workshops and Memory Crafters, thank you for the untiring support and trust in me. When I’m unsure of what to do, you help me understand. You provide learning venues for me to grow. You help bring out the best in Peachy.ph. Rikka, thank you for taking care of me, for coming up with workshops for me and for the friendship. Mommy Ginj, I love you. Thank you for the friendship. I love you all.

Patricia Villa of Fancy Girl Designs, Jennyfer Tan of TheTechie Mom and Marge Aberasturi of Va Support, the three amazingly wonderful and highly technical ladies helping me and making sure I got everything covered in the technical and aesthetic aspects of my beloved online home, Peachy.ph, thank you! I won’t be able to maintain such a lovely site without you all. You have given me such a wonderful gift of friendship beyond work. Pat and Jen, I’m continuously praying that I see you in person, someday soon. To the three amazingly inspiring ladies, I want you to know that from the bottom of my heart — I love you all. Thank you for not getting tired of answering my stupid questions (hehe!) and late night concerns!

To a host of professionals who have injected and taught me the value of self-care. Among them are my doctors — OB, Neuro, Ortho, Surgeon, and my PT and gym trainers. Thank you for taking good care of me. For making sure that I’m in tip top shape and doing your best to help me not get sick any more further than I am now. For always answering my never ending questions, even those out of the blue worries. For making my hospital, PT and gym trips & experiences fun; for supporting me in all my kakulitans especially when it comes to food, for spoiling me (working around my uncontrollable food intake and laziness!), for making me feel that you’re not just my doctors and trainers, but people and friends I can talk to. Most especially sa pagpapalakas ng loob ku whenever I’m scared. I’m happy and thankful to the Lord for giving me such a wonderful team to help me get this sickly body to perform well. I love you and if I have to have another set of doctors and trainers, I would choose you all over and over! Thank you!

Friends who adds vibrant colors to my world — both online and offline, old and new. From school (including my daughter’s school where I’ve developed great friendships, too!), work, hospital, gym, from the communities I’ve been and is a part of. My two bebs in the world, A & B, Roch whose been a super sweet and dependable girlfriend, too… My kumares and kumpares… I don’t always see all of you, some I may not have even met in person, but you’ve always been very kind, always there to lend a helping hand, an ear to listen and a shoulder to cry on, generous of your time and resources and supportive of my activities. Life would’ve been so dull without you. Thank you for helping me get through hard days and for bringing crazy laughter in my life… I love you all!

Marilen, Carla & Cheka. I’m grateful of your trust, time and friendship. You inspire me to always take care of my home, my heart & soul and my physical well-being. Thank you for the chikas and for being super approachable. Until this time starstruck pa rin ako sa inyo! haha. Carla, thank you for being generous in sharing your words of wisdom and challenging us to do and become better. I love you three. Thank you for being so inspiring.

Nendo | Peachy.ph. To YOU! for continuously supporting my products, my website, my activities, everything that I do. Even without the product photos (which takes me time to get done), even without workshop schedules posted — you still approach me and avail. Thank you for your trust! You empower and enable me to continue reaching out and help the organizations I support and home-based entrepreneurs through the products and services I offer. THANK YOU! THANK YOU! I LOVE YOU!

I would like to express my gratitude to each and everyone of you.. Despite me having to face my greatest fear and what could’ve been the greatest challenge that I’d have to face in life. Looking back, 2015 has been a wonderful year to me with lots of reasons to be grateful for.

And as with all the past gatherings of Pursuit Manila, the year-ender gathering is one of them days I went home filled with so much learning, realization, understanding and love from the great God above. Thanks to Rhiza and Carla who prepared such meaningful talks for all of us ladies — we went home with so much inspiration and a challenge to take time to rest & be calm, to always be grateful, while being the reason someone feels blessed and grateful, too.

How about you, what are you grateful for this year?

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6 comments on “Keep Calm and Give Thanks”

loved this blog? always know that you are indeed a blessing to people around you, beb! i am proud of you and i will never get tired of reminding you that you are a very, special and kind person. you are worthy and you deseve nothing but the best of life. muah??? God is good at all times.

Since I discovered pursuit community a month ago I’ve been following their activities and your activities in Pursuit Community Manila. Such a wonderful group of people! I can only hope that one day I’ll be able to join one of your gatherings and just share in the goodness of being surrounded by women who encourage each other to pursuit their art while juggling other responsibilities.